The Lethal Weapon Series: A Review

I wasn't totally sure whether to put this film under Crime, or Comedy. While it contains many sexual references, slapstick humour and the trademark wisecracks of films such as The Other Guys and Hot Fuzz, Lethal Weapon manages to remain serious throughout.

While many would say Mel Gibson is horrible today because he's been dubbed a racist and a drunk, he gave an excellent and also overdramatic performance as Martin Riggs - a homicide detective who's been forced to partner up with Roger Murtaugh. Danny Glover isn't the one we watch this film for, but his role is just as important as Mel's, and he's the one who builds up the jokes and gets a share of the climax. With his brains, his character and motivation, Glover plays the role of Murtaugh excellently.

Roger "Rog" Murtaugh is a family man who wants nothing more than a simple life in the police force. Yet when he's informed about being partnered up with Martin Riggs, his whole life is turned around. He's not used to the cocky nature of these just-out-of-college maniacs, and certainly not the dangerous personality of Riggs (as proven not long after their partnership).

Little is known about Martin Riggs early on, other than he has lost his wife/girlfriend to divorce or death (this could be his sister, so divorce is likely out of the question). He's suicidal, and tends to bring others to their end with or without intention a lot of the time. While he's seen as a highly dangerous man who wants only "blood for blood", he learns more about disarmament and arresting, rather than killing anyone who holds a gun.

Throughout the first film, the two tend to argue and need a lot of time to sort out their differences and beliefs. Riggs' methods are violent, cruel and sadistic, but that's just his nature - he's lost a lot, and becomes extremely angered as more things escape his grasp in future films. Yet Murtaugh is a "by the book" cop, trying to get through his days without massacaring unless someone else shoots first. Without him, Riggs wouldn't be able to remain as calm or casual as he is thoughout the series.

In Lethal Weapon 2, it's like as if they've been friends since childhood, and little is mentioned about their conflicts in the first film. We learn that they're not just colleagues, but friends who visit each other often, carrying out favors and always there for each other. In Lethal Weapon 3 when they're assigned to "beat duty", they admit that they'd be lost without each other. As for the fourth film, I'm not too sure on what happens there as I haven't seen it. I class that as an unnofficial one until I'm absolutely sure it's got the classic LW feel.

Richard Donner (The Tales of the Crypt series, The Omen and most famously, Superman) knows how to motivate Gibson and Glover, as they deliver spectacular lines provided by Shane Black. There's not a moment where the actors don't look at each other and think, "Did I just say that?" or "Should I really go along with this?". There's few easter eggs to be found and barely anything wrong that can be pointed out and critisized too greatly for. Chances are, if there's an error then it's not a great deal, and if there were during production, then editor Stuart Baird has done a great job of seeing to it that the public doesn't view them!

And with great direction comes great profit! The budget for the first film was $15 million dollars, an gained $105 million extra in the box office! Not only is Lethal Weapon one of the most memorable and successful films of the eighties, but it was one of the most profitable series period.

I don't honestly know how many films like Lethal Weapon have a mix of jazz and rock in their soundtrack (not in the same song, like Francesco de Masi did in 1990: The Bronx Warriors and Return to the Bronx - I'm not critisizing, as it was a good combination). However, it seems that at every punchline the soundtrack laughs either at or with an actor, and it's become trademark. Many films have parodied this, and many YouTubers have made short videos of it as the film has become more available (especially on DVD).

While the first film was a success and the second is just as watchable, it lost a lot of seriousness and many unfilled plotholes in Lethal Weapon 3 & 4. There's been talk of a fifth film, with script writer Shane Black taking over as Director, but little interest was shown. Neither Gibson or Glover wanted to take part in a fifth film, and fans are in denial saying, "there will be another one, but even if they're not interested now, it's in their blood".

In all honesty, just watching Glover in Shooter made me wonder, "Is he really fit for another Lethal Weapon film?" He was around 50 years old in the first film, and that was a good 20 years or so before the first film I saw him in. He was practically wheezing while talking or laughing during Shooter, and wasn't running away from explosions or up to huge gunfights. His role in the film, however, was played perfectly as a sinister dog-killer and crime boss.

As for Mel Gibson, I don't think he's going to be doing a great deal either. The latest film I've seen him in is Edge of Darkness and he played a good cop in that. But he was serious in that film, and not a joker of a psycho unlike Lethal Weapon. I suppose the closest thing you can get to seeing Gibson in his prime is either (I haven't seen it, but it's rumoured he's good in) Mad Max, Payback or a cameo in the Simpsons. But neither of them beat Lethal Weapon.

So, a conclusion - is the series good? Well, it's not half-bad. It's OK if you like those buddy-cop films with a few jokes thrown in and a lot of explosions. It's not Hot Fuzz funny, but it's got all the action and suspense (first scene you ever saw of Martin Riggs had me chewing my nails, honestly) needed for a good two hours. How much would I pay for it? I think I'd buy the series for possibly £7 pre-owned, but it's well worth staking out double for such a timeless classic.

If you had to get only one film of the series, I'd recommend Lethal Weapon 2. While sequels tend to be bad, and prequels tend to be awful, the second film of the franchise is excellent and I started out with that one. It doesn't leave you confused as to who the characters are, but it doesn't leave you unprepared for an explosive adventure!